Drawbridge.



PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

G. A. WI'BLAND.

DRAWBRIDGE.

' APPLICATION FILED PEB.1.1907.

W W- n. B n V U U 3 UNITED s ra'r ns PATENT OFFICE.

GEQRGE ALBERT WIELAND, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

nnawnnmon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10,1907.

Application filed February 1, 1 907. Serial No. 355.339-

To. all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE ALBERT WIELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have iniary operating means at the ends of the bridge which will greatly assist in their operation, and render them much saior and quicker in operation for use over water-ways susceptible to large volumes of shipping where many vessels are obliged to use the same.

Another object of my invention is to so construct said auxiliary operating means that it will serve as a cushioning device when closing the draw.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a top plan view of a drawbridgc of the type above referred to, and showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing my auxiliary driving mechanism connection between the movable and stationary part of the bridge.

In bridges ol' thischaracicr, thc, operating means is operated cntircly on the central support, and -thcrcfore the opcraiion is very slow and especially at thc starring thereof, and stopping, and in order to obviate those dillicultics I provide my auxiliary attachment which opcratcs at the end of the bridge and therclore aids in more rapidly starting the draw in its outward movement.

- Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the central abutment or pier which, as shown in dotted lines,

is of a circular form, and mountcd thcreonis the draw -'2. This draw may be mounted in any well known manner and provided with any dcsircd operating means, as this forms no part of my invention, as my attachment can be used in connection with any form of central operating mechanisms. In order to illustratc my invcntion, 1 have drawn the central picr l with the continuous rack 35, and into which mcshcs the spur gear or pinion 36, this lattcr being carried by the draw and operated by steam, comprcsscd air, or electricity, whereby the draw is caused to travel around said gear. and 4 to correspond to the curve 5 and (i of the two stationary portions 7 and 8 ol the bridge, and said.

stationary portions 7 and 8 being supportcd by the abutments or piers 9 and 10, all of which is well understood by those skilled in the art.

The ends of thedraw 2 are curved at 3.

Ldcated centrally upon the draw is a cylinder 11 which is providedwith a piston 12 therein, and said piston being provided with; double piston rod 13, which extends outwardly through both ends of the cylinder. The cylinder, as shown, is adjacent one edge of the draw and extends longitudinally thereof,

- and the double piston rod necessarily extends longitudinal of the draw. I

Connected to opposite ends of the cylinder are two pipes 14 and 1 5 which are connected to a. single pipe 16, which is'connected .to a compressed air cylinder or tank 17, compressed-air being thepreferred power or operating -the piston, although it will be understood that steammay be used if desired. Electricity may be employed to operate a motor" which in turn would operate the chains 26 and 27 the same as the piston rods.

The pipes 14 and 15 at the juncture with the pipe 16 are provided with a two-way valve 18 by means of which the compressed air can be turned from the pipe 16 into either of the pipes 14 and 15 for supplying either end of the cylinder WiiZh COI IIPIQSSGd. air or steam, or, as before stated, the i iiliins 26 and 27 may be worked by electricity, or any other power.

. The movable section 2 adjacent the curved end 3 is provided with two blocks or pulleys 19 and 20 which are located on oppositesides thereon, while adjacent the other curved end 4 are two pulleys 22 and 23 which are located similarly to the pulleys 19 and 20. The

pulleys 19 and 22 are, as showrijhorizontally pivoted and the outer peripheries thereof are in a line with the piston rod, 13,and extending and connected to the said piston rods arclhe cables 24 and 25 which are swiveled thereto, and the outer ends thereof have a swivel connection with the chains 2U-and 27 which extend outwardly around the pulleys 19 an 'l 22. The said chains extend inwardly across the ends of the movable section and around the pulleys 20 and 23, and the ends of said chains are connected together by a cable 28. Said cable, as, shown, has swiveled connections with the chain, as indicated at 29'andBO,andfextends longitudinally of the movable bridge section. As shown in Fig. 2, all of this mechanism is located beneath the flooring of the movable section, and the abutments or V piers 9 and 10 of the stationary portion of the bridge are cut away as indicated at 31 to allow the chain and the pulleys to freely pass the same. The ends of the movable sections are provided with curved guide ways for p the chain which correspond with the curvature of the ends of said sections. Said guide ways, as shown, are formed of two angle bars 32 and 33 whereby the chain is at all times held in the curvedpositi on, as shown in Fig. l, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The curved portions 5 and 8 of the stationary sections 7 and 8 are provided at the center with the inwardly.

extending arms or pins 34 and 35 which are in a plane with the chains 26 and 27, and enter the links thereof, as clearly shown in both figures of the drawings, the operation of which will be fully described.

5 The bridge being in the position shown, the piston 12 is at the center of the cylinder, and thus it is adapted to work in either direction, but in cooperation with the usual operating mechanism. The movable section being operated in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig, 1, the usual operating mechanism is started and the draw is started to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. ing of the usual operating mechanism the valve 18 is turned so that the compressed air or steam passes into the cylinder 11 through the pipe l i moving the piston rod 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, and the chain 26 being connected or interlocked with the pin 34, there is a pulling action between the said chain and pin which tends to move the movable secion in the direction indicated by the arrow on the left of Fig. 1. The chain 26 through the cable 28 is exerting a pulling action on the chain 27, and moving the opposite end of the movable section of the bfidge in the direction indicated by the arrow on the right of Fig. 1, and thus aids in starting the said section on its outward movement. When the pulleys 19 and- 23 have reached the pins 34 and 35 they disengage from the chains 26 and 2?, caused by the curved position of the chains, and the usual operating mechanism carries the section out 30 wardly to a point transverse the bridge, so that the channel on each side of the center pier is open to allow vessels to pass on each side thereof. This construction also serves as means for limiting the closing movement of the movable section. As the movable section closes 3 the links of the two chains 26 and 27 will engage the pins 34 and 35 on the ends of the stationary piers, and thus cause the chains to assume their original position which will carry the piston back towards tl1e center of the cylinder. In doing this a compression of air is 4 formed back of the piston and this being controlled by the operator of' the valve, the closing of the draw can be regulated as desired.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:- 1. The combination with :1 pivotally operative bridge, of accelerating means at the ends thereof designed to engage with the end piers of the bridge.

2. The combination with a pivoially operative bridge, of accelerating means independent of the operative means. .3. A drawbridge, comprising a movable section centrally supported, means for operating said movable section at the center, and auxiliary operating means at the ends of the movable section.

4. A drawbrldgo, comprising a movable section centrally supported having the usual operating moans and auxiliary operating moans at the ends of the movable section and adapted to be used as a cushioning moans during the closi'ng thereof.

5. A drawbrldge,comprising a movable scption centrally "i0 supported and having the usual operating means, and aux Simultaneously with the start- I supported and having the usual operating means, and an auxiliary operating means carried by the movable section and engaging-the stationary part of the bridge.

8. A drawbridge. comprising a movable section centrally supported and having the usual Oilil'ilililg means and auxiliary operating means, carried by tho cnds of the movable section, and engaging the stationary part of the bridge.

9. A drawbridgc comprising a movable section centrally supported and having the usual operating means, and chains carried by the movable section and engaging the stationary part of the bridge for aiding in starting the movement of the movable section.

10. A drnwbridge, comprising a movable section centrally supported and having thev usual operating moons. and chains passing around the ends of the movable section and engaging the stutionnry part of the bridge for aiding in starting the movement of the movable section.

11. A drawbridge. comprising a pivoted movable section having the usual operating moans, chains traveling around the ends of the movable section for engaging the stationary part of the bridge, and means carried by the movable section for operating said chains for aiding in the starting of the movable section.

12. A drawbridge. comprising a pivoted movable section having the usual central operating means, moans carried by the ends of the movuble section for engaging the-stationary part of the bridge. and means centrally carried by the movable section for operating the engaging means at the end thereof for aiding in starting the movable section outwardly.

13. A drawbridge, comprising a pivoted movable section having the usual ccntrnl operating moans, chains passing transversely across the ends of said movable section, nins carried by the stationary part of the'bridge and entering the chains, and means carried by the movable section for operating the chains for aiding in starting the movable section outwardly.

14. A drnwbridgc, comprising a pivoted movable section having the usual central operating means, chains passing transversely nci'oss the (lids of said movable section, pins carried by the stationary part of the bridge and passing into the links of said chains, a cylinder carried by the movable section. a piston therein, a. double piston rod carricd by the piston and extending through the ends of the cylinder, cables oporatively conni-cting the chains to said piston rod.

15. A drnwbridgc. comprising a pivoted movable section having the usual oporuiing menus, pulleys carried by the ends of said movable section, chains passing around the said puilcys and extending irnnsvcrscly across the ends of said movable section, pins carried by the stationary part oi the bridgi-v and passing into the links of the chains, a cable connecting two frcc ends of said chains, and an opersting means conncctiug the opposite ends of the chains, wlicrcby the chains aid in starting the movable section when the same is being closed and a cushion for stopping said section. I

lii. A druwbridgc, comprising a movable section having the usual operating means, pulleys carried by the ends of said movable suction, chains passing around said pulleys and extending transversely across the ends of said movable sections, guidcways extending ncrosssuld sections and in which the chain travels to limit the inward movement oi. the chains, pins carried by the stationary part of the bridge and passing into the links of the chains, and means foropcrating said chains.

17. A drnwbridgo, comprising a movnblesection having the usual operating moans, pullcys carried by the ends of the said movablev section.'and oppositely arranged, chains passing around said pulleys and extending transversely across thiends of said movable sections, guideways formed of curvcd angle bars and in which the chain travels to limit the inward movement of the chains, pins carried by the stationary parts of the bridge and passing into the links of tho chains and means for operating said chains.

18. A drnwbridgc, comprising a. movable section having the usual operating means, pulleys carried by the ends of the said movable section, chains passing over said pulleys and extending transversely across the ends of the movable section, a cable connecting the ends of said chains, 8. cylindex carried by the movable section, a piston therein, '2.

double piston rod carried by the piston and extending out' through the ends of the cylinder, cables connecting the ends of the piston rod with the chains, and means for aidmitting air or stoop: to both ends.of the cylinder.

1!). A drnwbridge comprising :1 movable section having the usual operating means. pulleys carried by the ends of said movable section. chains passing around the pulleys and extending transversely of the section, a guidcway formed of curved angle barsand in which the chains travel to limitthc inward morenient of the chains, pins carried by the stationu part of the bridge and passing into the links of the chains. a cable connected to two ends of the chains. a cylinder extending longitndinzilly'of the movable section, a piston therein, a double piston rod carried by the piston and extending out through the ends of the cylinder, cables connected to the ends of the piston rods, and connected to the opposite ends of the chains, pipes connected to the ends of the cylinder and means for supplying compressed air or stczun to'cirher end of the cylinder.

20. A bridge, comprising a movable section pivotally supported and having; the usual operating means, and auxili operating incans engaging the stationary part of the bridge and adapted ioaid in starting and stopping the movable section.

in testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

